20 December 2022

14 Great Canapé Ideas To Try This Year

You may have seen that we recently launched the SheerLuxe Community, a space where readers can ask the team, and other readers, any question they like – and get plenty of answers and ideas. This month, one hot topic was party canapés. Here’s some top chefs – and the SL Community – recommend their favourites…

By Heather Steele

Image: ALEXANDRA DUDLEY

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Smoked Salmon Tartines

Serves

6-8

Total Time

15 Minutes

Ingredients

1 loaf of rye bread sliced thinly into 6 - 8 slices

100g of creme fraiche

Zest of 1 orange

Small bunch of fresh thyme

Small bunch of fresh dill

150g of smoked salmon

1-2 tbsp of capers

2-4 tbsp of pickled red onion shop bought or homemade olive oil

For Homemade Pickled Red Onions

2-3 red onions, skins removed, halved & thinly sliced

300ml of apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp of golden caster sugar

1 tsp of coarse sea salt

3-4 bay leaves

1 tbsp of black peppercorns

1 tsp of coriander seeds

1 tsp of fennel seeds

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Method

Step 1

To make the pickled red onions, sterilise a 500ml jar, or several smaller jars.

Step 2

In a pan, gently heat the vinegar with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Tightly pack the onion slices, bay, rosemary, coriander, peppercorns and fennel seeds into the jar. Sprinkle over the salt then carefully pour over the warm vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and allow to cool on the side. When cool, leave to chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Step 3

An unopened jar will keep for up to six months. Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 2-3 weeks.

Step 4

To make the tartines, lightly toast the rye bread slice and cut in half.

Step 5

In a small bowl mix together the creme fraiche with the orange zest and a handful of fresh thyme leaves. Spread a spoonful of the creme fraiche mixture over the toasted bread slices. Rip or shred the smoked salmon into small pieces and place a few on top of each toast. Add a pickled onion ring or two over the top with a few capers and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme and a frond of fresh dill.

Step 6

Place on a large platter and lightly drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Serve immediately.

@ASlowGathering

Kirsch Cherry & Goats’ Cheese Crostini

Serves

Total Time

35 Minutes

Ingredients

370g jar of Opies Black Cherries with Kirsch, drained & syrup reserved

3 tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of fresh thyme thymes, plus extra to garnish

Salt & pepper to taste

12 slices of baguette

200g of soft goats’ cheese

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas mark 6.

Step 2

Tumble the cherries into a baking tray and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of reserved kirsch syrup, balsamic vinegar and the thyme. Season to taste. Roast for 15 minutes until cherries start to caramelise then remove from the oven to cool.

Step 3

Brush the baguette slices with the remaining oil and place on a griddle pan over a high heat. Cook until the bread starts to char, around 6-7 minutes, turning over to get an even colouring.

Step 4

Next spread the goats’ cheese evenly between each baguette slice. Top with the cherries, a scattering of thyme leaves then drizzle over sticky cherry juices from the pan.

Step 5

Season to taste and serve straight away.

Visit

OpiesFoods.com

Mini Roast Beef Yorkshires

Serves

Total Time

20 Minutes

Ingredients

1 frozen pack of small Yorkshire puddings

1 jar of The Wasabi Company Wasabi Mustard

100g of roast beef, thinly sliced

1 small Wasabi rhizome from The Wasabi Company

Method

Step 1

Cook the Yorkshire puddings as per the packet instructions

Step 2

To assemble, spread a thin layer of wasabi mustard around the inside of the Yorkshire pudding. Roll up a slice of roast beef for each pudding and assemble in the centre.

Step 3

Just before serving, grate the wasabi with a wasabi grater and add a small amount to each. Serve immediately.

Visit

TheWasabiCompany.co.uk

Cucumber Cream Cheese Bites

Serves

Total Time

14 Minutes

Ingredients

1 cucumber

1 tub of cream cheese

1 small Wasabi rhizome from The Wasabi Company

Black sesame seeds to garnish

Method

Step 1

Slice the cucumber into half centimetre pieces.

Step 2

Using either a teaspoon or a piping bag, add a generous dollop of cream cheese to the top of each slice of cucumber – roughly 1 tablespoon each.

Step 3

Just before serving, grate your wasabi using a wasabi grater and, using a small spoon, add a small dot to each. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Visit

TheWasabiCompany.co.uk

White Crab, Calamansi & Coconut

Serves

Total Time

18 Minutes

Ingredients

120g of dressed white crab meat (or chilled, cooked seafood of your choice)

Shrimp crackers

Gem lettuce

For The Calamansi Dressing:

18g of caster sugar

3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

10g of green chilli, thinly sliced

1 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced

20ml of fish sauce

20ml of lime juice

20ml of calamansi juice (or orange juice)

130g of coconut milk

Method

Step 1

In a pestle and mortar, blender or food processor, combine the garlic and sugar into a paste. Continue to blend adding the shallot. Once shallot is fully incorporated, add all of the chilli. Transfer the paste into a large bowl and whisk in the rest of the ingredients.

Step 2

To serve, mix the dressed white crab meat and 50g of the calamansi dressing. Spoon onto shrimp crackers, or serve with gem lettuce or spinach leaves for your guests to make into a wrap. These measurements make enough mixture for 10 crackers. The dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Visit

Ka-Pao.com

Inspired? Here's What The SL Community Had To Recommend...

HAVE YOU GOT A GREAT IDEA TO ADD? JOIN THE CONVERSATION

MAKE BREAD YOUR BASE

“I love bread topped with salmon add a slice of lemon (you can also add cream cheese); bread, butter and caviar; bread, gorgonzola and figs; or simply bread with cheese, honey and walnuts.” – JessicaKhater

USE PUFF PASTRY

“Shop bought puff pastry is your friend! It can be rolled with different fillings to create pinwheels, or you can use it to make vol-au-vents or mini tarts – such as figs and goat’s cheese.” – _JessLDN

BUY A SHOP-BOUGHT ESSENTIAL

“Rahms 24 Mini Croustades from Waitrose & Partners are a canapé cheat code! Just fill them with mango chutney and chicken tikka or crushed peas and mint – they work with anything you fancy!” – DaisyReed

TURN UP THE HEAT

“If your guests eat fish, these firecracker prawns are delish!” – HarrietLovejoy

TRY SOMETHING FROM OUR RECIPE COLUMNIST

“There are loads of canapé ideas on the SheerLuxe site here, but one of my favourites are these blackberry, brie and thyme mini filo tarts created by our cookery contributor Alexandra Dudley. I’ve tried them, and they’re really easy to make – and look really pretty piled onto a platter.” – HeatherSteele

MAKE SOMETHING LIGHT

“Take a leaf of iceberg lettuce and fill it with some crab meat, then top it with a bit of red chilli, coriander and a squeeze of lime. They’re not too filling, and because they’re green and red, they look Christmassy too.” – LauraSpence

USE A HERO INGREDIENT

“I like to drizzle burrata with olive oil and salt and serve with chilli crostini. A crowd pleaser!” – LauraBlack

GET FESTIVE

“These Christmas canapés by Taming Twins are simple and delicious for serving up to guests. Try them with brie and cranberry or add your own concoction.” – CHB1984

CREATE A SHARING PLATTER

“Serano ham-wrapped pear and goat’s cheese canapés look fancy, but are incredibly easy to assemble, and look lovely as part of a sharing platter or party nibble.” – Lucy.Crowther01_1943

For more ideas and inspiration, or to ask a question yourself, head over to Community.SheerLuxe.com.

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